It is important that from the beginning of the year, the teacher establishes routines to initiate transitions between activities. Students need to be able to stay attentive while switching activities in order to maintain focus that was created during the lesson; this will ensure that they get the most information possible out of the lesson. As the year goes by, the students should be comfortable with transitioning effortlessly between instructional time and group/individual work time. This will allow the class to "run on its own" so that the teacher can work with students who could use a little extra help grasping the topic that was just taught. It is necessary that, as a teacher, you have all materials that will be needed for an activity. This allows students to stay focused on the task at hand instead of wandering around the room looking for what they need. Teachers also need to make sure that different types of activities are used. Group work, paired work, and individual work should all be used equally. This will allow your students to become comfortable working in different settings.
As an elementary teacher, a song could be used to initiate a transition to a new subject or activity. Also, a flickering of lights can tell your students that it is time to line up to head to lunch or to head back to their desks after playtime. Another idea would be to show your students that different areas of the room have certain meanings. The carpets could mean story time and desks could mean individual work. Students would learn the meanings of these different settings, so while the class is transitioning to these areas, they are aware of what will happen next. This allow for a seamless transition as students learn these cues over time. Another way to save time in the classroom, so that the students will not become easily distracted, is by assigning each student a cubby. In the cubby, teachers can hand back papers and students can turn in their homework papers. This will create more learning time during the school day. Maintaining your students' attention and focus during transition periods and throughout the school day will allow for a maximum amount of learning to be completed.
Citations:
Danielson, C. (n.d.). The Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument Domain 2: The Classroom Environment. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/danielson_rubric_32.pdf
As an elementary teacher, a song could be used to initiate a transition to a new subject or activity. Also, a flickering of lights can tell your students that it is time to line up to head to lunch or to head back to their desks after playtime. Another idea would be to show your students that different areas of the room have certain meanings. The carpets could mean story time and desks could mean individual work. Students would learn the meanings of these different settings, so while the class is transitioning to these areas, they are aware of what will happen next. This allow for a seamless transition as students learn these cues over time. Another way to save time in the classroom, so that the students will not become easily distracted, is by assigning each student a cubby. In the cubby, teachers can hand back papers and students can turn in their homework papers. This will create more learning time during the school day. Maintaining your students' attention and focus during transition periods and throughout the school day will allow for a maximum amount of learning to be completed.
Citations:
Danielson, C. (n.d.). The Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument Domain 2: The Classroom Environment. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/danielson_rubric_32.pdf